The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems typically adjust a speed of a host vehicle to maintain a set vehicle speed while adjusting the speed of the host vehicle to maintain a predetermined distance from a target vehicle. Maintaining a predetermined distance from a target vehicle prevents a collision between the host vehicle and the target vehicle.
An ACC system may operate based on information from an object detection sensor (e.g. a radar sensor) that detects objects forward of a host vehicle. The ACC system adjusts the speed of the host vehicle based on location of a detected object relative to the host vehicle. The ACC system may temporarily reduce the vehicle speed of the host vehicle to maintain a predetermined distance between the host vehicle and the object. The speed of the host vehicle may be returned to a set vehicle speed when the object is at a distance that is greater than the predetermined distance.
An ACC system typically includes an ACC module and an engine control module (ECM). The ACC module is typically separate from the ECM and monitors cruise control switches, such as a set switch and a resume switch. The set switch is used by a vehicle operator to set a target speed. The resume switch may be used subsequent to ACC operation being interrupted to return ACC operation to maintaining a host vehicle at the target speed. ACC operation may be interrupted, for example, when the vehicle operator applies a vehicle brake. The ACC module generates an axle torque request based on the actuation of the cruise control switches, a distance between the host vehicle and an object, and the target speed. The ECM receives the axle torque request from the ACC module and then adjusts torque output of an engine based on the axle torque request.